Comrades scream ‘WOW’

Peoples’ National Party supporters enjoying the proceedings during the party’s annual conference at the National Arena yesterday.

It was a ‘WOW’ affair at the National Arena yesterday for the 81st annual conference of the People’s National Party (PNP) as energised Comrades vowed to “work, organise, and win” the next general election.

Bright orange-clad party supporters were out in their numbers as children to seniors danced in a party-like atmosphere as they listened to speaker after speaker call on them to be ready for the next polls.

The conference was the first public gathering for the supporters of both Dr Peter Phillips and Peter Bunting following the September 7 presidential election, in which the former retained the post.

Supporters of both sides donned campaign merchandise from Phillips’ One PNP camp and Bunting’s Rise United team as they came together inside the National Arena.

Katarock Sound served up great selections to keep the crowd energised until Popcaan’s profanity-laced We Still A Win hit the speakers. After two spins, it was quickly pulled from the set-up. The crowd particularly liked Stylo G’s Dumpling, Squash’s Ohh Lala La, Sizzla’s Solid As A Rock, and Teejay’s Owna Lane.

The venue was a bustling commercial centre as vendors sought to make sales from the car park to the corridors leading to the arena.

Just under an hour was reserved for raising campaign funds through donations at the conference. According to party officials, more than $2 million was raised.

The Gleaner gathered that among the donors were the law firm Knight, Junior and Samuels, which gave $150,000; Central Kingston Member of Parliament Ronald Thwaites and Imani Duncan-Price, who is set to be the party’s standard-bearer in the constituency when the next general election is called, $45,000; Lisa Hanna, $100,000; Andre Hylton, $50,000; and A.J. Nicholson, $65,000.

“Kartel say him want a million dollar by a morning. Mi want it in a minute,” Central Westmoreland Member of Parliament Dwayne Vaz said as he urged Comrades to give generously.